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Bausch & Lomb recalls about 850,000 tubes of eye ointment

PeterLoftus

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc.’s Bausch & Lomb unit has recalled at least 850,000 tubes of an eye-care ointment because some tubes contained tiny crystal particles that could injure the cornea.

Bausch & Lomb said Friday it believed the crystal particles formed when the tubes of Muro 128 ointment were exposed to freezing temperatures during shipments last winter.

The problem could cause injury to the cornea, leading to eye irritation and abrasions, Bausch & Lomb
VRX, -1.37%
said in a recall notice it sent to retailers and distributors May 30, which instructed them to return the product. The recall wasn’t widely publicized; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted some details of the recall on its website this week.

The over-the-counter ointment is typically used as a nighttime treatment for corneal edema, or swelling of the outermost layer of the eye. Users are supposed to apply a small amount to the inside of the eyelid every three to four hours or as directed by a doctor.

Bausch & Lomb said it initiated the voluntary recall in the interest of patient safety after an increase in the number of complaints it received from users about a “gritty, sandlike feeling” in the eye after use of the product.

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